Contacts

 Email: amos.mpofu@nust.ac.zw

 Mobile: 0773 738 215

 Office: Department of Accounting, Ground Floor, First Door on your right.

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Course Objectives

 Learn and understand the fundamental concepts of IT

 The fundamental question to ask is:
- What do you need to know about Information Technology, as a professional
and as a citizen?
 What is a computer? Hardware? Software?
 Develop an understanding of how they work
 Appreciate what it can do and what it cannot do
 Enable students to interact proficiently with I.T. professionals
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 Explain principles of operating systems and application software

 Describe and apply principles of text formatting
 Describe and apply principles of spreadsheet use
 Describe the querying and design of databases in business environments
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 Explain how a computer system operates and represents information

 Describe networked and Internet computing and how it is used in
business
 Explain how the IT revolution has developed and how it raises new ethical
and legal issues in several fields
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What this course does not try to do

 Teach you how to become the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs
 Teach you to use e-mail
 Let you pass the ECDL modules
 Turn you into a programmer although there will be some basic web
programming
 Cause your hair to fall off your head 
Course Introductory remarks

 Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)

 I - Information
 C - Communication
 T - Technology
 S - Social media element
Information

 Knowledge is power!

 Where does knowledge come from?

 Signal –> data – > information -> knowledge

 Knowledge is information about information

Communication

 Inter-linkages between and among different devices and components to

enable communication

 Communication is two way

 The aim is to ensure correct encoding, transmission over some media,,

receipt and decoding with minimal interference and corruption
Technology

 Process of doing something vs Tools for doing something

 Procedure/program vs Hardware
Social media

 The social element in  The ability to cause revolutions

communication can never be over-
 Reveal the hidden
emphasised
 Create a voice for the voiceless

 Self publishing
 A quick glance at the most powerful
tools in communication reveals the  Instant recognition
immense contribution social media  Richness of the message
has made to the advancement of
technologies  Cheapness of the platform

 Transaformation various business

models as a result of these
Key Terms

 Global digital divide

 National digital divide
 Technology savvy
 IT savvy
 computer technology
 communications technology
Individual Assignment

 Explain the consequences of illegal, social, and unethical uses of information

technologies (e.g., piracy, illegal downloading, licensing infringement, inappropriate
uses of software, hardware, and mobile devices). [25 Marks]

Instructions
1. Prepare a word processed document
2. Properly reference your work